THE RESURGENCE OF MILITARY COUPS IN WEST AFRICA AND THE DENT ON DEMOCRACY WITHIN THE ECOWAS SUB-REGION, ISSUES & CHALLENGES

This study analysed the resurgence of military coups in West Africa and assessed ECOWAS's institutional responses to these crises. The study employed a qualitative research approach and employed secondary research data collected from scholarly journals, policies, and case studies of recent coup d’états in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger. This work utilised thematic analysis to examine some determinants of coups and assess ECOWAS's ability to contain disrupted stability in the sub-region. The following negatives were also examined: corruption, electoral fraud, constitutional manipulations, and socio-economic injustices that have weakened the people's confidence in civilian authority. Security issues, especially terrorism, aggravated instability in the area. Other causes, such as the aggressive move by foreign countries in counter-terrorism and the anti-West sentiments, have also been identified to have contributed to state instability to create an environment suitable for military intervention. The following findings also exposed serious shortcomings in the actions of ECOWAS, which included the use of forceful penalties that deprived civilians but did not pressure junta members to step down. Another factor was the lack of harmony within the ECOWAS nations, and varied and arbitrary implementation of determined policies also hindered its impact. These factors reveal that the bloc gave the military a reason to act and failed to deal with political grievances before the coup that called for structural reforms. Specific recommendations were given regarding early warning and listing the 2001 Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance to include the root causes of corruption and inequalities, implementing targeted sanctions on junta leaders, and participation of civil society organisations. Finally, it established that the comprehensive approaches that promote security and democratic order were the only way through which the vicious in West Africa could be intervened.